TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said the West is fearful of the establishment of a government with Islamic persuasions in Libya.
“The West is very afraid of the establishment of a government with Islamic persuasions in Libya and (it) wants to prevent it,” Ayatollah Khamenei told Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in a meeting in Tehran on Sunday.
“We are deeply worried about Libya’s issue because popular movement there is a genuine and serious one and the West is determined not to let this true movement come to fruition,” he stated.
He also said Egypt’s issue is highly important in regional developments as the influence of the U.S. and Israel in Egypt has vanished, and now Washington and its allies are trying to find a foothold somewhere else in the region.
Popular uprisings in the region mark a milestone in Islamic countries and the region, the Leader said, expressing hope a “strong Islamic alliance” will be formed in North Africa in the near future.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed satisfaction at the Islamic awakening in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, saying it has actually undermined the interests of certain Western countries as well as Israel.
Everybody should remain vigilant because the West is seeking to change the direction of the popular movements and hijack them, he noted.
On the West’s pressure on Sudan, the Leader stated, “The Islamic Republic of Iran supports the Islamic government and nation of Sudan, who are determined to maintain their independence, Islamism and unity.”
“Resistance of the Sudanese people and government against U.S. and Israel’s pressure is laudable,” he said, adding all Sudanese parties and groups should remain watchful.
Sudanese President al-Bashir thanked Iran for its supports and said Khartoum will not succumb to the West’s pressure.
He also said regional developments will benefit the entire region.
The U.S. and Israel are the losers of regional developments, al-Bashir noted.
President al-Bashir was among six heads of state who had visited Tehran to participate in the International Conference on Global Fight against Terrorism.
—U.S. influence declining in Middle East
In a separate meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talibani late on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the United States has lost its influence in the Middle East.
He went on to say that the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is the root cause of problems in the country as well as the region.
The Leader also said Washington has counted upon disagreements between the political parties in Iraq to prolong its presence in the country and that the Iraqi parties should be vigilant and try to prevent it.
He also expressed satisfaction at current measures taken in Iraq to resolve problems, saying the Iraqi people should be patient and do their utmost to tackle their crises.
The Leader also said Tehran-Baghdad relations will become stronger, thanks to their deep cultural and religious bonds.
Talibani said that Iraqi political groups oppose the presence of U.S. military troops in the country and all groups are unanimous in their endeavor to reconstruct the war-torn country.
—Pakistan’s unity reason behind failure of U.S. plots
Ayatollah Khamenei said on Saturday that the Pakistanis have foiled plots by the United States through their unity.
The U.S. is trying to sow discord among the Pakistani people in order to achieve its illegal objectives but the Pakistanis are aware of these plots, he told Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in Tehran on Saturday.
He also called for expansion of ties between Tehran and Islamabad, saying historical and religious affinities between the two countries will help strengthen cooperation between the two neighbors.
Zardari said Islamabad will make strenuous efforts to increase the two countries’ relations and that there is a bright future for ties